Swiss military arms manufacturer SAN Swiss Arms AG, maker of the SG 550 rifles, has laid off half their workforce. Swiss Arms AG is owned by the German company L & O Holding which also owns SIG Sauer, Sauer & Sohn, Mauser and Blaser.

Tagesanzeiger.ch reports (Google-translated from German) …

Approximately every second of the total 34 employees was terminated at the end of January from the company SAN Swiss Arms. This was confirmed by the manufacturer of the Swiss assault rifle into the program “ECO” on Swiss television . Swiss Arms produced in Neuhausen Rhine Falls (SH) as the successor company of SIG, the weapon with which the Swiss army is equipped.

The production order of 450,000 assault rifles for the army, however, was done long ago. Today, especially national and international police forces and sport shooters prefer the rifle. And here is broken, according to Swiss Arms demand. Also, because the production costs in Switzerland compared with other countries are higher.Therefore, saw the company forced to make drastic austerity measures. Whether the production of the assault rifle is endangered or would just be transferred abroad, she did not say against “ECO” however.

A new price list from the company, dated 1 February, shows significant price increases (3,460 Swiss franc is $3,864). Note, these are Swiss Arms pricing, not pricing for SIG Sauer equivalent rifles.

Thanks to TroubleShooterBerlin for information.